A method for performing a medical procedure in an intestine of a patient is provided. The method comprises providing a system comprising: a catheter for insertion into the intestine, the catheter comprising: an elongate shaft comprising a distal portion; and a functional assembly positioned on the shaft distal portion and comprising at least one treatment element. The catheter is introduced into the patient, and target tissue is treated with the at least one treatment element. The target tissue comprises mucosal tissue of the small intestine, and the medical procedure can be configured to treat polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).

A photo-thermal targeted treatment system for damaging a target embedded in a medium includes a controller and a photo-thermal treatment unit including a light source. The controller is configured for administering a treatment protocol using the light source at a preset power setting and a preset pulse timing setting. Also, a method for automatically initiating a treatment protocol using a photo-thermal targeted treatment system includes administering a cooling mechanism at a treatment location, monitoring a skin surface temperature at the treatment location and, when the skin surface temperature reaches a preset threshold, automatically initiating the photo-thermal treatment protocol. Further, a method for automatically terminating a treatment protocol using includes, during administration of the treatment protocol at a treatment area, monitoring a skin surface temperature at the treatment location, and when the skin surface temperature reaches a preset threshold, automatically terminating the treatment protocol.

A reservoir for supplying a cooling fluid to a medical ablation probe includes a wall defining a chamber therein, an outlet fluid port and an inlet fluid port each in fluid communication with the chamber, cooling fluid disposed within the chamber, and a thermochromic material thermally coupled to the cooling fluid. The thermochromic material is configured to exhibit a first color when the cooling fluid is below a threshold temperature, and a second color when the cooling fluid is above the threshold temperature.

A handpiece for treatment according to an embodiment of the present invention comprises: a housing having at least one through-hole formed in the tip end thereof; an insertion part that passes through the surface of tissue and is inserted into the tissue in a state in which at least a portion thereof is exposed through the through-hole; and a cooling channel for providing a cooling gas that is supplied to the surface of the tissue through the through-hole.

In combined methods for treating a patient using time-varying magnetic field, treatment methods combine various approaches for aesthetic treatment. A magnetic field generating device is placed proximate to a body region of the patient. The magnetic field generating device generates a time-varying magnetic field with a magnetic flux density in a range of 0.5 to 7 Tesla. The time-varying magnetic field is applied to the body region of the patient in order to cause a contraction of a muscle within the body region. A second therapy may be used by applying one or more of optical waves, radio frequency waves, mechanical waves, negative or positive pressure or heat to the body region of the patient.

An exemplary ablation system is provided. The system is designed for safe and efficacious energy delivery into tissue by, for example, emitting energy in a controlled, repeatable manner that allows for feedback and energy emission titration based on sensed parameters (e.g., tissue temperature) measured during ablation. The system may include a switching antenna for both heating of target tissue and radiometry to monitor the temperature of the heated tissue. For example, the switching antenna may include a monopole formed by proximal and distal radiating elements, such that the proximal radiating element includes a short to defeat a choke action of the proximal radiating element. The system further includes a processor for calculating the temperature of the target tissue and estimating volume of the ablation lesion based on the target tissue temperature.

Dermatological systems and methods for providing a therapeutic laser treatment wherein the duration of a therapeutic laser pulse is based on one or more determinations of a surface temperature of the skin during the delivery of the pulse. Initiation of the therapeutic laser pulse may be based on sensed skin temperature during a cooling of the skin prior to initiation of the pulse.

Embodiments of an apparatus and method for sealing and cutting of tissue during surgeries, especially in general, endoscopic, laparoscopic and robotic, are described. In one aspect, an apparatus comprises a laser system and a laser beam delivery unit. The laser system comprises a tissue cutting laser configured to emit a first laser beam to cut a tissue. The laser system also comprises a tissue sealing laser configured to emit a second laser beam to seal the tissue. The laser beam delivery unit is detachably coupled to the laser system and is configured to guide and direct the first and second laser beams to cut and seal the tissue.

Dermatological systems and methods for providing a therapeutic laser treatment using a handpiece delivering one or more therapeutic laser pulses to a target skin area along a first optical path, and sensing the temperature of the target skin area based on infrared energy radiating from the target skin area along a second optical path generally counterdirectional to the first office action, and sharing a common optical axis with the first optical path for at least a portion of the first and second optical paths. The handpiece may also provide contact cooling for a first skin area comprising the target skin area.

A method and apparatus using radiation-based fiber-optic sensors and ultrasound thermometry to detect temperature before and during surgery. Ultrasound thermometry accurately measures temperature less than 50° C. and requires calibration, which can be conducted in vivo with the disclosed fiber sensor based on blackbody radiation (BBR) and as an early step in the procedure. The monitored wavelength of BBR in a range between about 1.4 μm and about 2.7 μm results in low attenuation for both water and a silica-based fiber. A thermal boundary map at and around the boundaries of the subsequently heated tissue in the region of interest (ROI) is displayed to the surgeon. The system accurately displays the temperature(s) in a thermal boundary map, thereby permitting the surgeon to determine when the ROI has been exposed to sufficient thermal energy to destroy it.